What are the chances this is a tumor?

Alright, I’m 20 years old and have been smoking for about 4 or 5 years. Lately, I’ve been averaging about a pack and a half a day.
About a year ago, my tonsils started swelling up and staying constantly red. For the whole time, I've had this sensation—like there's a "lump" stuck in my throat—and it’s driving me crazy.
Recently, my right tonsil swelled up even more, and a white, pus-filled spot formed on it. It looks like the pus actually drained out—gross, I know... Now, there's this purple, inflamed pit or hole in the tonsil where it happened, though it barely hurts.
I can feel the tissue around that tonsil stinging. On top of that, for a while now, I've been feeling this mild irritation and pain radiating from my jaw down my neck, through the soft tissue between my windpipe and my jugular on the same side as the swollen tonsil.
I’ve dealt with tonsil issues, infections, and strep before... but I want to know what the odds are here. Please, just give it to me straight—whether you're a pro or just someone with an opinion—is this just a nasty case of tonsillitis, or am I looking at serious symptoms that could point toward throat cancer???
My doctor can't squeeze me in until Monday, so I'm just trying to get some info beforehand to know what I'm dealing with... Thanks.

You’ve definitely come to the right place; I think everyone from the local mayor down to the neighborhood shopkeepers hangs out around here...

By the way, my gums are absolutely trashed from dealing with tonsillitis... I haven't kicked the bucket just yet, though some people might wish I had.

Why didn't you just get it operated on five or six years ago, like any sane person would?
A tumor isn't some minor infection you can just wait out.

Back when I was a kid, my doctor basically told me it wasn't a big deal... even though I dealt with tonsillitis pretty constantly. So, I just kept pushing off the surgery, and honestly, I never even went through with it.
I know it’s a bit late to the party here, but if my doctor decides it's actually necessary—and safe—I want to get the procedure done...

I'm mostly asking because I've been spiraling a bit, thinking of the worst-case scenarios... just pure paranoia. But personally—since my tonsils stay pretty red for a long time—it feels more like chronic inflammation or maybe some kind of viral thing rather than a bacterial infection.

I'm just looking for some general info here before I head in for tests and see what the doctor actually has to say.

Jack Walker64 said:My doctor can't squeeze me in until Monday, so I figured I'd hit the forums to get some general thoughts before my appointment just to be safe... Thanks.

The internet is honestly amazing for looking stuff up AFTER you actually know what you're dealing with... trust me, trying to play doctor with yourself or anyone else based on a few symptoms is just asking for trouble...
I remember about a year back, I totally spiraled thinking I had skin cancer because of some spot on my leg I saw online... turned out it was just a scratch...
Just try to enjoy your weekend and head to the clinic on Monday... don't let it mess with your head too much over nothing...

Imagine if someone just joked around and told you it was cancer just because they went through it once... 😕

👍

Brenda Stewart532 said:The internet is great for researching diseases AFTER you’ve already been diagnosed...

Imagine some guy just trolling you, telling you you've got cancer just because he once had it too... 😕

👍

Yeah, you're spot on there—I've seen it happen way too often.

Jack Walker64 said:Yeah, you're absolutely right, I know how it goes...

Look, I’ll lay out my own experience for you. Some parts overlap with what you're going through, so maybe you can draw some parallels...

I had my tonsils out when I was a kid... but about two years and three months ago, things started acting up. Just like you, I had this constant sensation of something stuck in my throat. Swallowing wasn't exactly difficult, but it wasn't easy either... more like my throat felt perpetually drier than usual, making swallowing saliva a bit of a chore...

I also dealt with this sharp, "cutting" sensation between my carotid artery and trachea—starting from the submandibular gland all the way down past the Adam's apple. My lymph nodes used to ache too (well, I think they did)... mostly, there was this pain around my thyroid area... sometimes it even felt like pressure building up in my right ear... plus, I had this constant phlegm in my throat. It was bright white, thicker than normal spit, and I had to spit it out constantly because swallowing it just felt wrong... and the coughing. God, the coughing. You get so used to chronic coughing that you don't even realize how much you're doing it until someone else points it out...

Blood work came back—all clear.
Saw an ENT—everything looked fine. No weird growths or anything, but my throat was extremely inflamed. I smoke quite a bit, drink tons of soda, and live on heavy Starbucks coffee, so I was already dealing with acid reflux triggered by certain spicy foods...

Had an ultrasound—all good.

Basically, everything was a 5/5 except for the inflamed throat.

BUT IT STILL HURTS, AND SOMETIMES IT HURTS TO SWALLOW...

And it’s been dragging on like this for two years and three months...

In the meantime, I managed to sort out the acid reflux issue...

So, here's the thing...

A few weeks back, I had to go in for some gum surgery (maybe totally irrelevant, maybe not)...

Right before the procedure, the doctor performed a biofilm removal (I think that's the term) and started me on Listerine as a mouthwash...

Now, Listerine is great for clearing out oral bacteria, but if you gargle with it, it actually helps the throat too...

To give you an example, I recently powered through the flu without any sore throat, which used to be impossible for me. Usually, my throat would kill me and I'd be hacking up phlegm for two weeks after the flu passed... but with the Listerine, I didn't have the coughing or the phlegm issues, except for that first night when it hit me hard. Because I was using the Listerine consistently, everything cleared up, and by the second morning, the phlegm was gone—even though I still had the flu for another six days...

And here is the BIG thing I noticed... that nagging cutting sensation in my neck and the occasional pain when swallowing? It just... vanished. So easily that I actually forgot I had ever been in pain. Once I realized the pain was gone, I started paying attention... I thought, okay, maybe it's just in my head... but it WASN'T. My THROAT LITERALLY DOESN'T HURT ANYMORE... the phlegm is gone, no more sticky buildup... no more cutting sensation...

I didn't want to say anything to my wife so I wouldn't jinx it, 😁 but she actually brought it up herself, saying she couldn't believe I wasn't coughing anymore... honestly, that was such a relief...

Every now and then (about two months since I started the Listerine), I'll get a little twinge in my throat, but nothing major... I figure everyone gets a little scratchy when they swallow if their throat is a bit dry...

So, following some basic logic, I've concluded the following...

- Between the heavy smoking, the endless coffee, and all the soda, my throat was probably just in a constant state of irritation.
- during sleep, bacteria likely congregate on the most sensitive areas and start causing trouble
- all that buildup of saliva and mucus creates the perfect little breeding ground for bacteria
- stomach acid frequently splashes back up into the throat, which could easily be why you're dealing with inflammation

And honestly, I notice now that when I smoke WAY TOO MUCH, my throat starts tightening up... so I figure it’s still a bit sensitive, so I’m trying to cut back as much as possible and that seems to be the fix...

So, here is what I've changed:
- I quit drinking Nescafé (it absolutely wrecked my stomach—even though it tasted great and was the only thing that actually woke me up in the morning, so it was hard to let go)
- I cut soda down to a MINIMUM
- I stopped drinking anything ice-cold or scalding hot; everything I consume is at a moderate temperature
- Instead of smoking 1.5 to 2 packs a day, I'm down to about 1 to 1.5
- I started using Listerine

Now, my advice for you...
- In any case, go see a doctor to have those tonsils checked out and have them removed if necessary
- Go see a dentist too, just to make sure there isn't an infected tooth causing pus to drain into your throat
- Cut back on the smoking... if you can't quit entirely, at least rinse your throat with some liquid after every cigarette (maybe about 4-5 ounces to wash it out)
- Don't drink cold drinks—I know it won't be easy, but you'll get used to the fact that even on these hot summer days, plain tap water can refresh you without needing to dump three ice cubes down your throat first
- Drink plenty of fluids (and make sure most of it is plain water)
- Don't swallow food that hasn't been chewed enough (chew at least twice as long as you used to)
- Try alternating chewing between your left and right molars—don't just stick to one side; go left, then right, then swallow...
- Try swallowing through the CENTER of your throat... this might sound silly to some, but you can swallow through the middle, the left, or the right... for instance, if you chew mostly on the right side and immediately push that food down the right side with your tongue, your right throat area will end up more irritated than the left... try using your tongue to push the food evenly across your palate before swallowing... it sounds complicated, but it's not... you have to really focus on how you swallow for the first few times, but then it becomes second nature...
- Don't smoke in bed (lying down) or even semi-reclined with your head tilted forward (like when you're watching TV in a recliner)—this was actually an ENT's advice—and don't eat in those positions either...
- Don't eat anything for 3 hours before going to sleep or lying down (it triggers acid reflux)
- You MUST BRUSH YOUR TEETH before bed... I know so many people just skip that step... brushing at night is actually more important than brushing in the morning... well, brushing at all is what matters... especially if you're a smoker...

And look, if the doctor determines everything is fine—which I REALLY HOPE is the case—ask them if it's okay to start using Listerine... Listerine isn't harmful, but you should still check with a professional before starting a new routine...

Anyway, this turned into quite a long post, but I wanted to share my own experience so you can see where it overlaps with what you're going through...

Try following at least some of these tips; they might not solve everything, but I can say with 100% certainty that they won't make things worse...

Good luck!

It’s a 50/50 shot—just send over a photo... I mean, how many people actually think they have a tumor? Honestly, if I had listened to everyone who convinced me I was dying, I’d probably be $33buried in $67graves by now.

Timothy Morgan38 has already shared a wealth of solid advice here. For what it's worth, my humble take is that at your age, the risk of cancer remains quite low, but if you persist with the smoking habit...
I'm hoping the checkup confirmed I was right about everything 🙂

Look, if it helps at all, I was just at the doctor today dealing with something pretty similar (except they already took my tonsils out)

For the last couple of days, the side of my neck has been feeling swollen—not right in the middle, but off to the side where the muscle and nerves are. I can actually feel this tiny little pea-sized lump right where it hurts like hell..

The doc told me it’s just a lymph node and that my body is basically fighting off some kind of infection. He did say that if you're losing weight, sweating through your sheets, or coughing up a bunch of junk, then you really need to dig deeper. Otherwise, it's nothing; nodes swell up for all sorts of reasons whenever your immune system feels threatened..

All the doctor gave me was some painkillers. He said if the pain and swelling don't clear up within two weeks, then we need to start running real tests..

Besides, if it were actually a tumor, it usually wouldn't hurt this much.

Jerry Moore2 said:I thought I’d offer a little comfort, since I just left my doctor today dealing with a similar issue (though mine had tonsils removed already)

For about two days now, the lower side of my neck has been feeling swollen—not right in the center, but off to the side where the muscles and nerves are. I can actually feel this tiny little pea-sized lump right there, and honestly, it hurts like hell.

My doctor told me it’s just a lymph node reacting to an infection, and said if you're losing weight, sweating excessively, or coughing constantly, then we really need to dig deeper; otherwise, it's nothing, as nodes swell up whenever the body feels threatened...

He just put me on some pain relief, noting that if the swelling or pain sticks around for more than two weeks, we need to run more tests.

Besides, when you're actually looking at a tumor, it usually doesn't even hurt.

If it doesn't clear up, you should definitely ask for a thyroid checkup. A goiter—which is just a general term for various thyroid issues—can be incredibly small.
Personally, if I were in your shoes, I’d get it checked out via a nuclear scan. I say that from experience, because unfortunately, some doctors tend to overlook things until it's far too late.

Jerry Moore2 said:basically, when you have a tumor, there's no pain

Give me a break. It’s a real walk in the park. 🙄

Hey there, greetings from my side of things. I’m 22 right now and dealing with the exact same issues. Looking back, I had constant tonsillitis issues when I was a kid, but I never ended up getting them surgically removed, so... yeah. I'm curious, Jack Walker64, what was your actual experience like with the doctors? What did they end up telling you?

Frank Campbell3, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a reply from the OP. This thread was started over five years ago, and they haven't been active on the forums in four.

If you have questions regarding tonsils or similar issues, feel free to post them here. That's the dedicated thread specifically for discussing tonsil-related problems.